Rock On! with Danny Coleman

Welcome to my musical world! This is one man’s attempt to alert you to the best in area entertainment!

Born Gary Levone Anderson in Jacksonville, Fla. he became Gary U.S. Bonds after his then manager attempted to take advantage of a “Public Service Announcement advertising the sale of government bonds.” This was done hoping that the two “U.S. Bonds” would become confused and lead to more radio airplay, for this 19 year old artist’s first release “New Orleans.” The “promotional copies were sent to radio stations in sleeves inscribed “Buy U.S. Bonds” and the rest, as they say, is history.

Inspiring and influencing generations of musicians with hit songs like “School Is Out,”“School Is In,”“Twist Twist Twist Senora” and perhaps his biggest hit “Quarter To Three” (which apparently I’m told, my mother and her cousin danced to on “American Band Stand”) Gary U.S. Bonds has had a career that has spanned more than 50 years.

Recently I was fortunate enough to speak with this rock ‘n’ roll icon who spoke of his influences, how Sam Cooke literally knocked some sense into him, his place in rock ‘n’ roll’s heirachy and his new book. The following is some of the Q & A that took place:

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Rock On: “New Orleans” was a hit when you were 19 years old. What was that like for you at that age?

U.S Bonds: “Great! I had pockets full of money, girls loved me, I mean I was 19 years old. I needed the girls then and the money later(laughs).”

U.S. Bonds: “Yea, they were big hits for me. Senora was public domain, all of those calypso songs were public domain, we all recorded them.”

Rock On: Did you headline over the Beatles?

U.S. Bonds: “That’s not fair, somebody keeps putting that out there, here’s what happened. You know when you tour, management sometimes sets up a band to support the act on stage? Well, we toured Europe for about a two or three week period and they set me up with a great group of musicians who were my band for that time; it wasn’t until years later that someone told me that they were The Beatles. I don’t know, I can’t say..”

Rock On: Can you tell me a bit about your current backing band “The Roadhouse Rockers?”

U.S. Bonds: “Great group of guys! Actually Mark (Leimbach) our guitar player used to play with me in the Soul Cruisers. When the band went separate ways I kept Mark and the sax player. Hal Selzer (bass) and Lance (Hyland Stark) on drums joined within the last 15 years or so. We’ve all been pretty much together since around, oh I don’t know 1981; all except our keyboard players. We seem to go through them guys more than others, (laughing) they definitely don’t stick like glue, at least not with me.”

Rock On: I understand that you befriended Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt and they helped your career kind of reinvent itself in the 80’s?

U.S. Bonds: “Yea, we came to meet in the late 70’s. I was playing at a club down there where they’re from, I forget which one it was now. Anyway, so I’m playing at this local club and the manager says to me, “hey I got this guy who wants to get up and sing a song with you.” I said, great! You know any chance I can get to catch a break, back then I was smokin’ I figured I’d sneak out for a smoke or get a drink while this guy was singing, (laughing) I didn’t even know who he was! So I introduce him and the place goes wild and I said to myself Who the heck is this guy? From then on we became friends and they wrote some songs with me and we’ve been friends ever since.”

Rock On: How does that make you feel to know that you and your music have influenced other musicians?

U.S. Bonds: “It’s great to know that! Like I said earlier, I was only in music to meet girls (laughs). Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, B.B. King were my influences and now for me to be mentioned along with them as an influence for someone is a good feeling. I’m going to tell ya’ Sam Cooke smacked me one night, I mean literally slapped me and saved my career, he actually probably is the reason why I ever had such a long career. I did shows with Sam and he always used to tell me that I needed to talk to the audience more, I was kind of quiet on stage, I mean that I’d sing but not do much else, wasn’t really an entertainer. Sam used to say to me, “I see you runnin’ around back stage chattin’ over everybody, talkin’ up a storm, nobody else able to talk because you’re talkin’ over them; you need to do that on stage.” I listened but really didn’t do much about it. Then I realized that he was right so I began trying, I thought I was doing better. This one particular show, I finish and come off stage and there’s Sam standing with B.B. King, I said to Sam see I’m getting better and he hauled off and slapped me across the side of my head so hard that I saw stars (laughing)! I mean he slapped me and told me I can do better, told me to have fun with it. I don’t know what he did, but something clicked from that time on and I became a different entertainer, good thing, I guess I learned my lesson (laughs).”

Rock On: I see that you put out your first Christmas CD this past season?

U.S. Bonds: “Yes! I actually had never done one before. We were all sitting around discussing what I should do next, should I do a blues album? I thought no. A rock album? I forget who it was that said it but they said, “A Christmas CD.” Then I thought well, I better get writing! So we started the album in June and it was really great, I did a song with my daughter, I did two traditional standards and eight original tracks. I’m told that it was the biggest selling Christmas CD on Amazon so I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out.”

Rock On: So what’s next for Gary U.S. Bonds?

U.S. Bonds: “I have a show next week on January 16 that I’m very excited about for The Light Of Day. I’ll be playing at The Hard Rock Cafe in the city for the first time. I’ve done plenty of shows in New York City but never one at The Hard Rock. I’ve been doing The Light Of Day for years but this is a special one for sure; this should be a lot of fun. I also have a book coming out in March with Steve Cooper, it’s an autobiography called “My Story By U.S. Bonds.” I’m currently working on a CD that goes with the book and it’s about the book; that’s called, “That’s My Story And I’m Stickin’ To It.” I figure you can dance around while reading the book (laughing), it was so much fun doing this. I am doing the re-reads of the book now and it’s like, did I really do all these things. I know I told him these events but to read them it just brings back lots of memories, some pretty funny. I read this and thought, who is this guy? I’d really like to meet him (laughing)!”

It was right about here where I stopped writing and just listened to the man talk. He and I discussed Sam Cooke’s untimely death, a recent show he did with B.B. King and Bo Diddley and his tour schedule (he does approximately 50 shows per year). We also talked about him being an avid golfer and how he keeps meaning to take Vini “Mad Dog” Lopez up on his offer to play a local central Jersey course.

The man was a pleasure to chat with, he even chuckled at me when I told him that I still have my mother’s 45 rpm record of “Quarter To Three” to which he responded, “No kidding? That’s an oldie there.” I promised him that I wouldn’t take up too much of his time but yet I found myself asking more questions than I had intended, yet he was gracious and more than willing to chat. Shall you wish to find out more about this ageless talent, you can do so at www.garyusbonds.com .

There is a great line up at The Ivy Tavern in Hamilton this weekend. After a brief hiatus, Friday night marks the return of Tangled to the local music scene. Please consider checking out the fine rhythmn section of Dino Colarocco and Gary Breza as they drive this great cover band. Then Saturday evening, The Ernie White Band rock ‘n’ rolls back in for a great night of classic rock and original tunes.

Pete’s Steak House also in Hamilton has a dynamic weekend line up as well. Friday evening, the only thing hotter than the peppers on Pete’s Special Steak will be The Charles Laurita Band. Always a great time, Charles puts together a great night of unique covers. Rock, pop and even broadway show tunes are all done to a rock or funky beat. Next up on Saturday, my buddies in Deep Release return to Pete’s to play their mix of classic rock covers that always have you dancing or singing along.

Saturday also has Bluegrass music with Krazy Koyote at The Tir Na Nog in Trenton. Jo Wymer at Triumph Brewing Company in Princeton and earlier in the evening Dick Gratton and his amazing jazz guitar at Chambers Walk in Lawrence. I’ll also be performing a few sets with Kevin Toft at JoJo’s tavern in Mercerville as well. I am also hosting a Rock On Radio Happy Hour at The Olde Liberty Tavern 2114 Liberty Street in Trenton on Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. Stop on down for some drink specials and a bowl of my “Crock On Chili.” So many decisions to make this weekend, it’s nice to know that you can’t make a wrong choice.

That’s it for this week. Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!